Department of Geology

Geology (GEOL)

We are directly dependent on the Earth for our survival. Geology is the study of the Earth, its materials, the processes that affect its surface and interior, and the history of change that it has undergone. For students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree program with a Concentration, Major, or Honours in Geology, the Department offers a full program of courses. Many of these courses may also be taken by students majoring in other science subjects. A combined geology/geography program emphasizes environmental aspects of geology and a program combining geology and business studies emphasize the economic aspects of the Earth. In addition, a number of courses are offered for non-science students, emphasizing global aspects of geology, Earth history, and the interactions between the Earth and human society.

Science students interested in geology, including those who are planning to pursue the double majors and honours programs in geology, should take GEOL 1200 and GEOL 1201. This course provides a broad survey of the discipline, with practical experience provided through labs and field trips. Courses in mineralogy (GEOL 2301, GEOL 2302) and the history of life and sedimentary environments (GEOL 2323 and GEOL 2325) are also recommended as supporting science subjects for students majoring in other sciences.

GEOL 1202, 1203, 1206, 1207, 1208 and GEOL 1210 are designed chiefly for students in Commerce and Arts, including Atlantic Canada Studies. Of these, only GEOL 1206, 1207 and 1208 can be used as Science credits. In exceptional cases where a student has taken GEOL 1202 and GEOL 1203 (previously GEOL 204.0) with high standing, those courses may, with the permission of the Department, be accepted in the Geology Major or Honours program in lieu of GEOL 1200 and GEOL 1201.

Students in the Geology Major and Honours programs should seek the advice of the Department as to their elective and supporting courses. Year 4 students are encouraged to participate in the research projects being carried out in theDepartment. Under special circumstances, some prerequisites for 3000 and 4000-level courses may be waived with the permission of the Department.

1. Geology Major - Requirements

The requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science with Major apply as listed in this Academic Calendar under the heading of Faculty of Science, Bachelor of Science – Major, in Section Three. The specific list of forty-eight (48) required credit hours in the Major subject used to satisfy 6(d) is provided below:

The suggested sequence of courses for years 1 and 2 is available online on the Faculty of Science website listings for Program Requirement Tables. Students should consult with a Science Advisor or the Department Chairperson for course selections and the suggested best sequence of courses for years 3 and 4.

2. Geology Major for Professional Registration Qualification

The Geoscience Profession Act was proclaimed in Nova Scotia in March 2003. This Act requires that one be a member in good standing of The Association of Professional Geoscientists of Nova Scotia (or another provincial counterpart) in order to work in geoscience-related fields in this province. For the 2014-2017 period, the requirements for professional registration are summarized by the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists (CCPG) at: geoscientistscanada.ca

Geology Major students who wish to qualify for professional registration should complete the following program which combines all elements of the GEOL Major plus those which satisfy the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists (CCPG) knowledge requirements.

An additional eighteen (18) credit hours of foundational science courses in the following subject areas: MATH, PHYS, CHEM, CSCI, BIOL; with no more than six (6) credit hours in any one subject area, and at least three (3) credit hours in MATH or CSCI.

The suggested sequence of courses for years 1 and 2 is available online on the Faculty of Science website listings for Program Requirement Tables. Students should consult with a Science Advisor or the Department Chairperson for course selections and the suggested best sequence of courses for years 3 and 4.

2. Geology Honours - Requirements

The requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science with honours apply as listed in this Academic Calendat under the heading of Faculty of Science, Bachelor of Science – Honours, in Section Three. The specific list of required credit hours used to satisfy 11 (a) include:

Mandatory core courses for the Major;

GEOL 4550 (Students must secure a supervisor for the honours project before applying to the honours program);

Sufficient GEOL courses for a minimum of sixty (60) credit hours, of which only six (6) credit hours may be at the 1000-level.

3. Double Major and Double Honours - Requirements

Students may pursue a double major in Geology and another science subject, as outlined in Section Three of this Academic Calendar in the Faculty of Science pages. Students may also pursue a double honours in Geology and another science sugject, as outlined in Section Three of this Calendar.

Students taking a double major are required to take at least thirty-six (36) credit hours in geology from the following list, and students taking a double honours are required to take at least forty-two (42) credit hours from the same list: ** The course listing that follows has three courses added to it: GEOL 3373 Geomorphology; GEOL 4300 Field Geology of Eastern Canada; and GEOL 4400 International Field Camp:

In the Honours Bachelor of Science geology/geography program, topics for Honours projects should be approved by both Departments and may be carried out in either Department.

5. Geology/Business Studies Combined Programs

The Department of Geology and the Sobey School of Business offer a double Major/Honours science degree combining a major/Honours program in geology with a major program of business studies in the Sobey School of Business.

This program offers Bachelor of Science major and Bachelor of Science Honours degrees, under the general requirements of the Faculty of Science. For a combined major degree, students will be required to take a minimum of forty-two (42) credit hours in the Faculty of Commerce in addition to at least thirty-six (36) credit hours in geology. In the Honours program, a thesis on a field interrelating the two disciplines will be required. Students enrolled in the combined geology/business studies major/Honours may also pursue a co-op option in this dual program. The program appeals to geology students with an interest in the business-related aspects of their major. The geology/business studies major program requires a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.20 in all Geology and commerce courses while the geology/business studies Honours program requires (a) a minimum grade of C in all geology and commerce courses; and (b) a minimum GPA of 3.00 in these same courses.

The following courses are required for the Geology/Business Studies Major (B.Sc.)

Notes:(i) Students must take FINA 2361, MKTG 2270 and MGMT 2384 before registering for MGMT 4489. The other prerequisites for this course are waived for students in this combined program.(ii) Students must register no later than the beginning of Year 2 in the science program and will be under the general requirements of the Faculty of Science.

In addition to the above requirements, Geology/Business Studies Honours students must complete GEOL 4550 Honours Project as one of the Geology requirements.

6. Cooperative Education Programs

a. Cooperative Education in Geology

This program, which is available at both the major and Honours level, integrates on-the-job experience and academic studies. Upon completion of one of the Cooperative Education programs, the student receives the Bachelor of Science degree in geology, at the major or Honours level, with the added qualification of “Cooperative Education”.

Further details and regulations on the Cooperative Education program are found in the Faculty of Science listing in Section 3 of this Calendar.

b. Combined Cooperative Education in Geology/GeographyThe students enrolled in the combined geology/geography major/Honours may also pursue a Co-op option in this dual program. Application to and completion of this combined option is the same as those for other Science Co-op major programs.

Further details and regulations on the Cooperative Education program are found in the Faculty of Science listing in Section 3 of this Calendar.

c. Combined Cooperative Education Program in General Business Studies/GeologyThe students enrolled in the combined geology/business studies major/Honours programs may pursue a Co-op option in these dual programs. Applications to andcompletion of this combined option is the same as those for other Science Co-op major/Honours programs.

7. Minor in Geology - Requirements

It is possible to combine a minor in Geology with a major in another discipline within or outside the Faculty of Science. To obtain a minor in Geology, students must complete thirty (30) credit hours in GEOL courses, according to 9(b) in Section Three of this Calendar, including GEOL 1200 and GEOL 1201, with no more than twelve (12) credit hours at the 1000-level.